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April 14, 2008
A Quick Stop At The Eiffel Tower
As promised, I have a lot of pictures of the Eiffel Tower today. Brent and I stopped by the Eiffel Tower after our ferris wheel ride on La Grande Roue to take a quick look and a few pictures. Of course we would be back to go to the top and provide a full photographic tour, but this was just a quick visit to take a look. As I'm sure you can tell from all my previous Paris entries, we could see the Eiffel Tower from all over the city and were dying to take a look up close.
You'll notice that I sort of switched back and forth between a regular setting on my camera and a black & white setting. I thought it would be fun to get some B&W architectural photos of the tower, and I think they came out pretty well. There will be plenty of color photos from our actual Eiffel Tower visit, though.
The Eiffel Tower:
The Eiffel Tower was absolutely spectacular up close. It was somehow everything I expected, and not at all what I was expecting at the exact same time. It was enormous and breathtaking, but also so real. I guess I don't know how to explain it, but I hope some of you understand. It's just that the Eiffel Tower was always just an image to me, an idea of something off in the distance or in pictures... it was an entirely theoretical building until I stood under it. Of all the famous landmarks Brent and I saw in Europe, the Eiffel Tower might actually be my favorite. At the very least it's in my top few, along with the Roman Colosseum and St. Peter's Dome.
Brent (looking at our guidebook I assume):
Brent and Me:
Outside the Eiffel Tower there's this cute little carousel and an ice cream stand where we, of course, got an afternoon snack (I don't pass up ice cream in the summer. Ever.):
On the walk back to our hotel....
Color:
B&W:
Brent:
Across the way from the Eiffel Tower:
It was hard walking away from the Eiffel Tower. I kept turning around to get one last look, it's just so beautiful:
Great advertisements on the street:
Creepy:
I want to live here:
Or here:
Or even here:
Here too:
I think Paris has the creepiest "subway" entrances ever. I felt like I was entering someone's secret lair every time:
Such beautiful streets:
I absolutely loved Paris, but who doesn't? Still more to come!
-Lauren
Posted by lauren at April 14, 2008 09:12 AM
Comments
I can't get over the beauty of the design on the Eiffel Tower. It's structurally sound but also intricately beautiful! Looking forward to the full tour in a later post.
Posted by: M at April 14, 2008 09:53 AM
Those are the best pics of the Eiffel tower that I have ever seen. I completely understand your feeling of seeing something you have seen all your life up close. That is the way I felt about the Grand Canyon. it's just this image in your head, but when you see it upclose it is just breath taking.
Posted by: Jocelyn at April 14, 2008 03:25 PM
You have heard the story before, but when I went to Paris on business, I would take the Chunnel train to Gard du Nord. I would see the Eiffel Tower iin the distance from say 15 miles outside Paris, but my meetings were n ot near the Tower and I have never seen it up close. I guess that i will have to take Mom and see it one of these days
Dad
Posted by: D at April 14, 2008 04:36 PM
remember waiting in line?
alto cinque!
Posted by: brent at April 14, 2008 11:49 PM
M - it really was beautiful and you're right, the structure itself was also so interesting
Jocelyn - thank you! i bet the grand canyon was amazing, i want to go there some day.
Dad - you really have to go see the eiffel tower up close! you and mom would love it!
Brent - of course i remember waiting in line...for HOURS
Posted by: Lauren at April 14, 2008 11:54 PM